Lottery unveiling NASCAR ticket in Concord Charlotte Observer - Charlotte,NC,USA The NC Lottery hopes to rev up sales with a NASCAR-themed ticket that it will unveil in Concord next week with the help of driver Kasey Kahne. ...
Dodge Motorsports Friday Notes- Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Kenny ...Backstretch Motorsports - Greensboro,NC,USA “It’s always fun to come back to Bristol and get into the heart of the season. For me Daytona and then the west coast trip with California and my hometown ...
Q&A: NASCAR Nextel Cup Driver Kasey Kahne PaddockTalk - USA HAS KENNY’S ABSENCE CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR SLOW START? “It’s been a role. It’s been part of it, but it’s not the reason why we’re where we’re at. ...
Drivers happy for lifted suspensions Online Athens (subscription) - Athens,GA,USA Kasey Kahne, above, and Matt Kenseth have been reunited with their crew chiefs after they served four-race suspensions. Associated Press Photo ...
Kahne looks for boost from Francis MSNBC - USA(AP) -Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth were reunited with their crew chiefs Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway for the first time this season. ...
Racing-themed lottery game on way Charlotte Observer - Charlotte,NC,USA The NC lottery hopes to rev up sales with a NASCAR-themed ticket it will unveil next week in Concord with the help of driver Kasey Kahne. ...
With Francis, Kahne ready to climb out of early hole Nascar - USA So what in the heck is Kasey Kahne doing sweating out this weekend in the hopes of cracking the top 35 in Cup owner points? Even he doesn't seem so sure of ...
Showing posts with label nascar merchandise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nascar merchandise. Show all posts
3.21.2007
New Kasey Kahne stories to check out
Teams Vie For Top 35 In 2007 Owner Standings PaddockTalk - USA15 Menard’s Chevrolet) is 36th, while Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge) is 37th. Kahne had a series-high six victories in 2006 and ranked second ...
Kasey Kahne and Auto Value-Bumper To Bumper team up to tackle BristolBGN Racing.com - Lexington,KY,USA For the third consecutive season, Evernham Motorsports and its drivers Kasey Kahne, Scott Riggs, and Elliott Sadler will be a part of the Auto Value-Bumper ...
Dodge Avenger to Debut on Sunday at NASCAR’s Fastest Short Track Backstretch Motorsports - Greensboro,NC,USA Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge, says the Dodge Avenger 500 on Mother’s Day weekend in May in Darlington, SC, will provide the ...
Kahne: March Madness will sweep through BristolScene Daily (subscription) - Charlotte,NC,USACONCORD, NC - Lowe's Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler presented a golden broom with a steering wheel at the end of the handle Wednesday to Kasey Kahne ...
Kasey Kahne and Auto Value-Bumper To Bumper team up to tackle BristolBGN Racing.com - Lexington,KY,USA For the third consecutive season, Evernham Motorsports and its drivers Kasey Kahne, Scott Riggs, and Elliott Sadler will be a part of the Auto Value-Bumper ...
Dodge Avenger to Debut on Sunday at NASCAR’s Fastest Short Track Backstretch Motorsports - Greensboro,NC,USA Kasey Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge, says the Dodge Avenger 500 on Mother’s Day weekend in May in Darlington, SC, will provide the ...
Kahne: March Madness will sweep through BristolScene Daily (subscription) - Charlotte,NC,USACONCORD, NC - Lowe's Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler presented a golden broom with a steering wheel at the end of the handle Wednesday to Kasey Kahne ...
3.20.2007
Season already slipping from Kahne
(courtesy of CBS News)
After escaping the season opener at Daytona with a seventh-place finish, his first top 10 at the track, Kasey Kahne looked to be in excellent shape to make a run toward the top of the standings.
After all, he had won at both California and Atlanta in 2006, and was fourth in the series' lone trip to Vegas last year.
But expectations have fallen woefully short of reality.
At California, he started second but wound up 38th after engine failure. In Las Vegas, he won the pole but finished 35th after wrecking. Sunday at Atlanta, it was more of the same; the best he could do was 39th after another wreck took him out of contention.
"When something happens, there's just no place to go," Kahne said. "The accident happened right in front of me and that was it. I tried to turn left, but I just didn't have enough time. We got a lap down early but managed to get the handling straightened out on the next two pit stops and be in position to get our lap back with a caution. The caution never came. The accident messed up the handling. Kenny (Francis, team director) will be back next week, and we'll be ready for Bristol."
Kahne desperately needs a strong finish at Bristol, because with another subpar run -- and that's a distinct possibility considering Kahne's track record at Bristol (one top 10 in six trips) as well as the uncertainty surrounding the Car of Tomorrow -- Kahne could fall out of the top 35 in owner points and then would have need to qualify for the next race on speed with no provisional to fall back on.
That's a shocking turn of events for a driver who led the series with six victories last season and appeared poised to challenge for the title in 2007.
After escaping the season opener at Daytona with a seventh-place finish, his first top 10 at the track, Kasey Kahne looked to be in excellent shape to make a run toward the top of the standings.
After all, he had won at both California and Atlanta in 2006, and was fourth in the series' lone trip to Vegas last year.
But expectations have fallen woefully short of reality.
At California, he started second but wound up 38th after engine failure. In Las Vegas, he won the pole but finished 35th after wrecking. Sunday at Atlanta, it was more of the same; the best he could do was 39th after another wreck took him out of contention.
"When something happens, there's just no place to go," Kahne said. "The accident happened right in front of me and that was it. I tried to turn left, but I just didn't have enough time. We got a lap down early but managed to get the handling straightened out on the next two pit stops and be in position to get our lap back with a caution. The caution never came. The accident messed up the handling. Kenny (Francis, team director) will be back next week, and we'll be ready for Bristol."
Kahne desperately needs a strong finish at Bristol, because with another subpar run -- and that's a distinct possibility considering Kahne's track record at Bristol (one top 10 in six trips) as well as the uncertainty surrounding the Car of Tomorrow -- Kahne could fall out of the top 35 in owner points and then would have need to qualify for the next race on speed with no provisional to fall back on.
That's a shocking turn of events for a driver who led the series with six victories last season and appeared poised to challenge for the title in 2007.
3.17.2007
Time for Kahne to Rally
By Steve Waid-SceneDaily
I’ll bet Kasey Kahne is looking at this weekend’s Nextel Cup race at Atlanta the way a starving man with credit for a free meal looks at a menu.
Atlanta should provide a golden opportunity for the Evernham Motorsports driver to regain his footing.
Kahne came into the 2007 season as a driver considered almost a sure bet to make the Chase, and who knows? He might even contend for the championship.
After all, he made the Chase last year, wound up eighth in the final point standing and won six races, more than any other driver.
But to date, Kahne has had an unexpected, difficult season. First, he lost 50 points before he ever hit the track in competition. NASCAR took them away for a rules infraction in Daytona 500 qualifying.
Kahne ran well at Daytona, finishing eighth in the 500. But with the loss of 50 points, he fell to 22nd in points.
At California, he started on the front row, but lasted only 129 laps before engine failure did him in. He finished 38th and fell to 32nd in points.
At Las Vegas, he won the pole – a pretty good indication his Dodge didn’t lack for speed. He ran among the top 10 most of the day until he crashed on lap 251. He was a victim of some treacherous racing conditions created by the reconfigured Vegas track and a harder compound tire.
He finished 35th and is now 36th in points.
Kahne hasn’t been the cause of any of his problems. The way he feels, without misfortune, he could have three top-10 finishes now.
Six wins last year doesn’t mean anything to him at this point. What matters is to win this season.
Atlanta would appear to be a darn good place to start. Kahne won the pole for last year’s March event and followed that up with a victory. He’s considered one of the top dogs at the fast, 1.54-mile track.
Indeed, it appears that, for Kahne, Atlanta may be a prime opportunity for redemption.
Kasey, the table is set and dinner is served. Time to dig in.
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION: Listen to Steve on The Sporting News Radio’s “Tony Bruno Show” on Friday at 12:45 p.m. EDT and “The Inside Track” on Saturday from 9-10 a.m. EDT. Check out www.radio.sportingnews.com.
I’ll bet Kasey Kahne is looking at this weekend’s Nextel Cup race at Atlanta the way a starving man with credit for a free meal looks at a menu.
Atlanta should provide a golden opportunity for the Evernham Motorsports driver to regain his footing.
Kahne came into the 2007 season as a driver considered almost a sure bet to make the Chase, and who knows? He might even contend for the championship.
After all, he made the Chase last year, wound up eighth in the final point standing and won six races, more than any other driver.
But to date, Kahne has had an unexpected, difficult season. First, he lost 50 points before he ever hit the track in competition. NASCAR took them away for a rules infraction in Daytona 500 qualifying.
Kahne ran well at Daytona, finishing eighth in the 500. But with the loss of 50 points, he fell to 22nd in points.
At California, he started on the front row, but lasted only 129 laps before engine failure did him in. He finished 38th and fell to 32nd in points.
At Las Vegas, he won the pole – a pretty good indication his Dodge didn’t lack for speed. He ran among the top 10 most of the day until he crashed on lap 251. He was a victim of some treacherous racing conditions created by the reconfigured Vegas track and a harder compound tire.
He finished 35th and is now 36th in points.
Kahne hasn’t been the cause of any of his problems. The way he feels, without misfortune, he could have three top-10 finishes now.
Six wins last year doesn’t mean anything to him at this point. What matters is to win this season.
Atlanta would appear to be a darn good place to start. Kahne won the pole for last year’s March event and followed that up with a victory. He’s considered one of the top dogs at the fast, 1.54-mile track.
Indeed, it appears that, for Kahne, Atlanta may be a prime opportunity for redemption.
Kasey, the table is set and dinner is served. Time to dig in.
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION: Listen to Steve on The Sporting News Radio’s “Tony Bruno Show” on Friday at 12:45 p.m. EDT and “The Inside Track” on Saturday from 9-10 a.m. EDT. Check out www.radio.sportingnews.com.
3.16.2007
A page from Kasey Kahne's Diary
(courtesy of ESPN)
It's not every day you get to spend time with a policeman in Las Vegas and be happy about it.
Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE
Didn't know Dodge made a Charger Hatchback? It certainly looked like the manufacturer did after Kasey Kahne spun and wrecked during Sunday's race in Las Vegas.
The winner of the "Kasey Kahne Dream Job" contest was announced before Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and it went to David Metzger, a policeman from Freemont, Calif.
A lot of people (more than 20,000) entered and they narrowed it down to the final three -- Metzger, Kelli Quattlebaum of Greenville, S.C., and Eric Coates of Dubuque, Iowa -- who we flew to Vegas to be narrowed to one.
Metzger will spend the weekend as my assistant for the race at Darlington in May. It'll be exciting to have somebody see what it's like on a race weekend with me, what we do and where we go.
I understand he's a former Mark Martin fan. He came off as a real sharp guy and it should be cool with his background as a police officer. I certainly shouldn't have to worry about anything. He's a pretty big guy.
They said his advice to me would be to drive fast and keep all four wheels on the ground. That could have helped a lot last weekend at Las Vegas.
We had top-10 cars in the Busch Series and Nextel Cup races and spun them both out near the end.
In the Busch race, I screwed up. We had a hard tire to race on -- a really hard tire to race on -- and I just lost control. Then, on the Cup side, we were having another good race when David Gilliland took the air off of my car and sent me spinning.
He was two laps down and we were going for the win. He just needs to think more before he puts his car in a position like that against a better car.
He didn't hit me. He just took all the air out. When you're two laps down with less than 10 laps to go there's no reason to mess with the leaders. There's no reason to try to race me at that point.
That's about as frustrating as it can get. We were super fast. We just have to figure out how to get through it and do better at Atlanta.
I'm looking forward to Atlanta. I won this race last year and it's a great track for me, although I feel comfortable now about everywhere we go.
I like the way the tires fall off there, the way the cars slide around, the way you can move the car around on the track to find places where it handles better than others. It just suits my driving style better than any other track.
It's a fast track -- really fast and slippery. But it's slippery where you can still feel the tires and the grip -- a different type of slippery than we had at Vegas.
Some say they don't like qualifying at night when we're racing during the day, but I like it. The car has more grip and it'll go even faster. We still get plenty of practice for the race during the day.
I don't have much going on off the track. I'm completely focused on driving and doing what is needed to get a good finish so we can go to Bristol for the big Car of Tomorrow race.
You can't help but look ahead to that race. You just have to put so much time into that car because it's so much different than what we drive now. We may go to another track next week and get in one more test.
Evernham Motorsports is doing a good job with the car. It just takes so much time to get it ready. It hasn't been a distraction for me, but it's definitely a lot of work for the employees and the crews.
We basically go to Bristol and then Martinsville and then to the Richmond test, all in a matter of 2½ weeks with two different cars.
People are putting tons and tons of hours into this. I really appreciate how everybody has stepped up to get it right.
It's not every day you get to spend time with a policeman in Las Vegas and be happy about it.
Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE
Didn't know Dodge made a Charger Hatchback? It certainly looked like the manufacturer did after Kasey Kahne spun and wrecked during Sunday's race in Las Vegas.
The winner of the "Kasey Kahne Dream Job" contest was announced before Sunday's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and it went to David Metzger, a policeman from Freemont, Calif.
A lot of people (more than 20,000) entered and they narrowed it down to the final three -- Metzger, Kelli Quattlebaum of Greenville, S.C., and Eric Coates of Dubuque, Iowa -- who we flew to Vegas to be narrowed to one.
Metzger will spend the weekend as my assistant for the race at Darlington in May. It'll be exciting to have somebody see what it's like on a race weekend with me, what we do and where we go.
I understand he's a former Mark Martin fan. He came off as a real sharp guy and it should be cool with his background as a police officer. I certainly shouldn't have to worry about anything. He's a pretty big guy.
They said his advice to me would be to drive fast and keep all four wheels on the ground. That could have helped a lot last weekend at Las Vegas.
We had top-10 cars in the Busch Series and Nextel Cup races and spun them both out near the end.
In the Busch race, I screwed up. We had a hard tire to race on -- a really hard tire to race on -- and I just lost control. Then, on the Cup side, we were having another good race when David Gilliland took the air off of my car and sent me spinning.
He was two laps down and we were going for the win. He just needs to think more before he puts his car in a position like that against a better car.
He didn't hit me. He just took all the air out. When you're two laps down with less than 10 laps to go there's no reason to mess with the leaders. There's no reason to try to race me at that point.
That's about as frustrating as it can get. We were super fast. We just have to figure out how to get through it and do better at Atlanta.
I'm looking forward to Atlanta. I won this race last year and it's a great track for me, although I feel comfortable now about everywhere we go.
I like the way the tires fall off there, the way the cars slide around, the way you can move the car around on the track to find places where it handles better than others. It just suits my driving style better than any other track.
It's a fast track -- really fast and slippery. But it's slippery where you can still feel the tires and the grip -- a different type of slippery than we had at Vegas.
Some say they don't like qualifying at night when we're racing during the day, but I like it. The car has more grip and it'll go even faster. We still get plenty of practice for the race during the day.
I don't have much going on off the track. I'm completely focused on driving and doing what is needed to get a good finish so we can go to Bristol for the big Car of Tomorrow race.
You can't help but look ahead to that race. You just have to put so much time into that car because it's so much different than what we drive now. We may go to another track next week and get in one more test.
Evernham Motorsports is doing a good job with the car. It just takes so much time to get it ready. It hasn't been a distraction for me, but it's definitely a lot of work for the employees and the crews.
We basically go to Bristol and then Martinsville and then to the Richmond test, all in a matter of 2½ weeks with two different cars.
People are putting tons and tons of hours into this. I really appreciate how everybody has stepped up to get it right.
3.15.2007
Calif. Policeman selected as Kasey Kahne's Assistant for a week
The selection process was tough and the interviews were intense, but the winner of the Kasey Kahne Dream Job contest was up to the challenge – and took home the top prize for his efforts.
David Metzger from Fremont, Calif., was named the winner after final interviews at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 9. Metzger, a policeman with the Atherton Police Department and a member of the San Mateo Narcotics Task Force, was one of three finalists who traveled to Las Vegas for the judging and the weekend’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. Metzger was selected for his problem-solving skills, commitment to improving performance, creative thinking and ability to deal with pressure on the job.
“This is a dream come true,” said Metzger after learning of his selection on Sunday morning. “I can’t wait until Darlington.
I worked really hard to get the word out and get folks voting for me. I reached out to all the police on the force and had my family campaigning in their offices.
The contest, sponsored by Dodge Motorsports, offered contestants an opportunity to be Kahne’s assistant at the Dodge Avenger 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race on May 12 at Darlington Raceway. More than 20,000 fans entered the contest, held online at www.kaseykahnedreamjob.com. Almost 116,000 people voted for the nine semifinalists. The top three finalists were Kelli Quattlebaum of Greenville, S.C., received the most votes with 33,251. David Metzger from Fremont, Calif., received 20,891 votes and Erin Coates of Dubuque, Iowa., received 13,028 votes.
Metzger said he wants to help make Kasey Kahne’s life easier and keep him looking good. On the track, Metzger said he would tell Kahne to drive fast and keep all four wheels on the ground.
Fans completed a questionnaire to show why they would be the best candidate to assist Kahne at Darlington. A panel of judges reviewed the applications and selected the best nine for the No. 9. Those nine semifinalists responded to questions submitted by Dodge on video and the video was used on the official website. Fans then voted online for the best contestants.
“I’m looking forward to working with David at Darlington,” Kahne said. “He’s got great skills and experience, and I think we’ll have fun together. And, it will be great to have a policeman around. Darlington is a race that I’d like to win. It’s a tough track, and you almost need a perfect day to win the Dodge Avenger 500. I’m sure my assistant will be ready for the challenge.”
Metzger will spend four days at the Evernham Motorsports headquarters in Statesville and work with the Marketing Department scheduling Kahne’s at-track activities for the Dodge Avenger 500 at Darlington Raceway. Duties will also include working with the marketing and public relations team to get Kahne to all the appearances, media interviews, on-track and NASCAR-mandated responsibilities on his schedule that weekend.
David Metzger from Fremont, Calif., was named the winner after final interviews at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 9. Metzger, a policeman with the Atherton Police Department and a member of the San Mateo Narcotics Task Force, was one of three finalists who traveled to Las Vegas for the judging and the weekend’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. Metzger was selected for his problem-solving skills, commitment to improving performance, creative thinking and ability to deal with pressure on the job.
“This is a dream come true,” said Metzger after learning of his selection on Sunday morning. “I can’t wait until Darlington.
I worked really hard to get the word out and get folks voting for me. I reached out to all the police on the force and had my family campaigning in their offices.
The contest, sponsored by Dodge Motorsports, offered contestants an opportunity to be Kahne’s assistant at the Dodge Avenger 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race on May 12 at Darlington Raceway. More than 20,000 fans entered the contest, held online at www.kaseykahnedreamjob.com. Almost 116,000 people voted for the nine semifinalists. The top three finalists were Kelli Quattlebaum of Greenville, S.C., received the most votes with 33,251. David Metzger from Fremont, Calif., received 20,891 votes and Erin Coates of Dubuque, Iowa., received 13,028 votes.
Metzger said he wants to help make Kasey Kahne’s life easier and keep him looking good. On the track, Metzger said he would tell Kahne to drive fast and keep all four wheels on the ground.
Fans completed a questionnaire to show why they would be the best candidate to assist Kahne at Darlington. A panel of judges reviewed the applications and selected the best nine for the No. 9. Those nine semifinalists responded to questions submitted by Dodge on video and the video was used on the official website. Fans then voted online for the best contestants.
“I’m looking forward to working with David at Darlington,” Kahne said. “He’s got great skills and experience, and I think we’ll have fun together. And, it will be great to have a policeman around. Darlington is a race that I’d like to win. It’s a tough track, and you almost need a perfect day to win the Dodge Avenger 500. I’m sure my assistant will be ready for the challenge.”
Metzger will spend four days at the Evernham Motorsports headquarters in Statesville and work with the Marketing Department scheduling Kahne’s at-track activities for the Dodge Avenger 500 at Darlington Raceway. Duties will also include working with the marketing and public relations team to get Kahne to all the appearances, media interviews, on-track and NASCAR-mandated responsibilities on his schedule that weekend.
3.14.2007
Great story on Kasey Kahne
Quick revival is Kahne aim
By Jim Bentonemail bio
March 14, 2007
Kasey Kahne finds himself in a worrisome place in the points standings, but he's not concerned about his slow start.
Kahne, who won a series-high six Nextel Cup races in 2006 and finished eighth in the standings, is 36th in points after three races this season.
He lost 50 points before the season started as part of the fines levied by NASCAR for rules infractions after qualifying inspections at Daytona. Kahne's crew chief, Kenny Francis, was suspended for the first four races.
"At this point, I could care less what I did last year," Kahne said Tuesday. "Yeah, we won six races, but it's time to start winning this year. The points are a huge deal. I was looking at them myself, kind of trying to see where we are at and how far we're out of getting back in the top 20.
"I feel like we could have three top 10s. I made a mistake (an accident at Las Vegas). I had an engine problem (at California). We're in a little hole, but we can dig ourselves out of that pretty quickly. We've got speed. We've been up front every single race so far. I'm not worried."
One of Kahne's victories last season came in the spring race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
"Atlanta is a good track for us," he said. "We've always seemed to run pretty solid at it, and we're making some adjustments with our car this week and I'm going to make some adjustments hopefully to finish the race."
The slow start isn't as baffling to the Enumclaw, Wash., native as the opposition of fans and Washington state politicians to a racetrack that International Speedway Corp. proposes to build in the Seattle area.
"They've kind of made it sound differently than what it really would be to the taxpayer," Kahne said. "So I am surprised what it's turned into.
"Come to Vegas and look at what (a track) does down there, or go to Atlanta or go to Texas or go to Kansas. There's so much stuff going on. Look at all the hotels and the malls, and everything is packed full of people. Go look somewhere else and see what it's like. If you do, there's no way you wouldn't want one (track) where you're living."
By Jim Bentonemail bio
March 14, 2007
Kasey Kahne finds himself in a worrisome place in the points standings, but he's not concerned about his slow start.
Kahne, who won a series-high six Nextel Cup races in 2006 and finished eighth in the standings, is 36th in points after three races this season.
He lost 50 points before the season started as part of the fines levied by NASCAR for rules infractions after qualifying inspections at Daytona. Kahne's crew chief, Kenny Francis, was suspended for the first four races.
"At this point, I could care less what I did last year," Kahne said Tuesday. "Yeah, we won six races, but it's time to start winning this year. The points are a huge deal. I was looking at them myself, kind of trying to see where we are at and how far we're out of getting back in the top 20.
"I feel like we could have three top 10s. I made a mistake (an accident at Las Vegas). I had an engine problem (at California). We're in a little hole, but we can dig ourselves out of that pretty quickly. We've got speed. We've been up front every single race so far. I'm not worried."
One of Kahne's victories last season came in the spring race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
"Atlanta is a good track for us," he said. "We've always seemed to run pretty solid at it, and we're making some adjustments with our car this week and I'm going to make some adjustments hopefully to finish the race."
The slow start isn't as baffling to the Enumclaw, Wash., native as the opposition of fans and Washington state politicians to a racetrack that International Speedway Corp. proposes to build in the Seattle area.
"They've kind of made it sound differently than what it really would be to the taxpayer," Kahne said. "So I am surprised what it's turned into.
"Come to Vegas and look at what (a track) does down there, or go to Atlanta or go to Texas or go to Kansas. There's so much stuff going on. Look at all the hotels and the malls, and everything is packed full of people. Go look somewhere else and see what it's like. If you do, there's no way you wouldn't want one (track) where you're living."
3.13.2007
Breaking News for Kasey Kahne
KAHNE WINS COMMIT® TO WIN AWARD FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK AT VEGAS
PITTSBURGH, PA (March 13, 2007) – For the second straight week, Kasey Kahne is the winner of the Commit® Lozenges Commit to Win Award. Kahne won the award by leading the first green flag lap of Sunday’s UAW Daimler-Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
For his award at Las Vegas, Kahne will be presented with a check for $5,500 during pre-race ceremonies at this weekend’s Nextel Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. A $101,000 bonus will be presented to the driver that wins the most Commit to Win Awards in 2007.
Kahne won the season Commit to Win Award in 2005 and 2006, and with his two awards in ’07 leads this season’s standings. Along with Las Vegas, Kahne won the Commit to Win Award the previous race at California Speedway.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare has the only smoking cessation sponsorship in NASCAR history featuring the brands NicoretteÒ nicotine gum, NicoDermÒ CQÒ nicotine patches and Commit nicotine lozenges. GSK Consumer Healthcare’s NASCAR involvement also features the first-of-its-kind “QUIT Crew” program that provides smoking cessation coaching to NASCAR teams and fans. Hendrick Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Petty Enterprises, Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR officials have enrolled in the program. For more information, go to quit2winracing.com
2007 Commit to Win Standings
Driver Team Commit to Win Awards
Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports 2
David Gilliland Robert Yates Racing 1
2007 Commit to Win Award Winners
Date Race Track Winner
2/18/07 Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway David Gilliland
2/25/07 Auto Club 500 California Speedway Kasey Kahne
3/11/07 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Kasey Kahne
PITTSBURGH, PA (March 13, 2007) – For the second straight week, Kasey Kahne is the winner of the Commit® Lozenges Commit to Win Award. Kahne won the award by leading the first green flag lap of Sunday’s UAW Daimler-Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
For his award at Las Vegas, Kahne will be presented with a check for $5,500 during pre-race ceremonies at this weekend’s Nextel Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. A $101,000 bonus will be presented to the driver that wins the most Commit to Win Awards in 2007.
Kahne won the season Commit to Win Award in 2005 and 2006, and with his two awards in ’07 leads this season’s standings. Along with Las Vegas, Kahne won the Commit to Win Award the previous race at California Speedway.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare has the only smoking cessation sponsorship in NASCAR history featuring the brands NicoretteÒ nicotine gum, NicoDermÒ CQÒ nicotine patches and Commit nicotine lozenges. GSK Consumer Healthcare’s NASCAR involvement also features the first-of-its-kind “QUIT Crew” program that provides smoking cessation coaching to NASCAR teams and fans. Hendrick Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Petty Enterprises, Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR officials have enrolled in the program. For more information, go to quit2winracing.com
2007 Commit to Win Standings
Driver Team Commit to Win Awards
Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports 2
David Gilliland Robert Yates Racing 1
2007 Commit to Win Award Winners
Date Race Track Winner
2/18/07 Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway David Gilliland
2/25/07 Auto Club 500 California Speedway Kasey Kahne
3/11/07 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Kasey Kahne
3.12.2007
Quick Sixer
Kick your garage up a notch with these gorgeous collectible NASCAR clocks
6)Joke of the day: In a bid to speed up their pit stops, Kasey Kahne's Dodge team sacked their entire pit crew and replaced them with local gang members who, it was said, could get the wheels off a car in less than four seconds without any proper equipment.
Come the day of the next Nextel Cup race, the gang members, working in the pits, did indeed change the tires on Kasey Kahne's Dodge in under four seconds. But there was a problem: within ten seconds they had resprayed and re-numbered the car and sold it to the Waltrip team.
5)Site of the day: Gizmodo - review site for gadgets, toys and hi-tech electronics
4)Video of the day: Biggest NASCAR crash
3)NASA image of the day
2)Odd story of the day: German man chainsaws house in two in divorce split
1)NASCAR story of the day: Gambling At Vegas Is Unacceptable...When You’re Dealing With Someone’s Life
1.20.2007
A few NASCAR stories of interest...
Here are a few stories to whet your appetite for the upcoming season:
CHASE'S DOZEN BEING FINALIZED
NASCAR is planning on allowing 12 drivers into the Chase for the Nextel Cup, without a provision for how many points a driver is from the lead. They are also likely to give ten more points for race winners. NASCAR ran models which determined more than ten points would create runaway scenarios.
The changes are expected to be announced during the Lowe's Motor Speedway media tour beginning on Jan. 22.
Source: ESPN.com
BUSCH BREAKS 190 IN CAR OF TOMORROW
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (TICKER) -- Kurt Busch proved that NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow" can be more than effective today.
Busch dominated Wednesday morning's Preseason Thunder testing session at Daytona International Speedway, clocking 191.188 miles per hour in a Penske Racing South Dodge Avenger.
The 2004 Nextel Cup Series champion, Busch became the first driver to eclipse 190 mph at the Preseason Thunder. He did so while driving the "Car of Tomorrow," a newly designed racer which will be used in 16 events this season.
MAKE OR BREAK SEASON FOR NEWMAN
Ryan Newman 2006 season statistics Wins: None Best Finish: Second (Sonoma)Top-fives, top-10s, DNFs: 2, 7, 3
2006 RecapNewman's season could best be described by one word: frustration. Despite winning two poles and starting in the top 10 a total of 15 times, his average finish was a miserable 20th. Ironically, the best finish in '06 for the former sprint car star was on the road course at Sonoma. Statistically, 2006 was his worst full season in Nextel Cup in terms of laps led, top-fives and top-10s.
2007 OutlookWhat's nextFor Newman, there is only one way to go from here: up. He'll start the season with a new crew chief in Mike Nelson, who worked with Newman in the final two races of '06. It will be a tough battle for Newman to get back to where he was in 2003, when he won eight races and was a contender for the title, but he has the tools and the talent to do it.
Best-case scenario: The early reviews of the Nelson-Newman pairing have been good. Newman's success in '07 will depend greatly on his ability to have a strong relationship with Nelson and on Nelson delivering to Newman the same kind of car at the end of the race as they start with. If this duo clicks, look for Newman in victory lane and the Chase.
Likely scenario: This likely will be a make or break season for Newman. Despite his past success, NASCAR is a "what have you done lately?" sport. Should Newman continue to stumble, he'll find himself looking over his shoulder as some younger driver catches team owner Roger Penske's attention.
Beware: Newman absolutely has to have a fast start to the season to erase any lingering doubts that he and his team still can be considered among the top dogs of the sport.
Veteran motorsports writer Bob Margolis is Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR reporter. Send Bob a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
CHASE'S DOZEN BEING FINALIZED
NASCAR is planning on allowing 12 drivers into the Chase for the Nextel Cup, without a provision for how many points a driver is from the lead. They are also likely to give ten more points for race winners. NASCAR ran models which determined more than ten points would create runaway scenarios.
The changes are expected to be announced during the Lowe's Motor Speedway media tour beginning on Jan. 22.
Source: ESPN.com
BUSCH BREAKS 190 IN CAR OF TOMORROW
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (TICKER) -- Kurt Busch proved that NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow" can be more than effective today.
Busch dominated Wednesday morning's Preseason Thunder testing session at Daytona International Speedway, clocking 191.188 miles per hour in a Penske Racing South Dodge Avenger.
The 2004 Nextel Cup Series champion, Busch became the first driver to eclipse 190 mph at the Preseason Thunder. He did so while driving the "Car of Tomorrow," a newly designed racer which will be used in 16 events this season.
MAKE OR BREAK SEASON FOR NEWMAN
Ryan Newman 2006 season statistics Wins: None Best Finish: Second (Sonoma)Top-fives, top-10s, DNFs: 2, 7, 3
2006 RecapNewman's season could best be described by one word: frustration. Despite winning two poles and starting in the top 10 a total of 15 times, his average finish was a miserable 20th. Ironically, the best finish in '06 for the former sprint car star was on the road course at Sonoma. Statistically, 2006 was his worst full season in Nextel Cup in terms of laps led, top-fives and top-10s.
2007 OutlookWhat's nextFor Newman, there is only one way to go from here: up. He'll start the season with a new crew chief in Mike Nelson, who worked with Newman in the final two races of '06. It will be a tough battle for Newman to get back to where he was in 2003, when he won eight races and was a contender for the title, but he has the tools and the talent to do it.
Best-case scenario: The early reviews of the Nelson-Newman pairing have been good. Newman's success in '07 will depend greatly on his ability to have a strong relationship with Nelson and on Nelson delivering to Newman the same kind of car at the end of the race as they start with. If this duo clicks, look for Newman in victory lane and the Chase.
Likely scenario: This likely will be a make or break season for Newman. Despite his past success, NASCAR is a "what have you done lately?" sport. Should Newman continue to stumble, he'll find himself looking over his shoulder as some younger driver catches team owner Roger Penske's attention.
Beware: Newman absolutely has to have a fast start to the season to erase any lingering doubts that he and his team still can be considered among the top dogs of the sport.
Veteran motorsports writer Bob Margolis is Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR reporter. Send Bob a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
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